Counties reel from tornadoes, storms that struck southeast Oklahoma and northeast Texas

The American Red Cross was set up at Idabel's Bypass Church of Christ by Saturday morning, but offers of help were also coming out of the woodwork, and the woods across McCurtain County, the day after severe storms raked the area, leaving at least one dead.

Gov. Kevin Stitt said after a tour of the area that more than 100 homes and businesses were destroyed. Idabel took the brunt of the storms when a tornado hit about 7 p.m. Friday, but structures were also damaged or destroyed east of Broken Bow, some 15 miles north, and at Pickens, 50 miles to the northwest, the weather service said.

Idabel registered the highest wind gust in the region Friday night, at 108 mph, Accuweather reported. But power was out across the remote, mountainous area, some 250 miles southeast of Oklahoma City.

Stitt said he would declare McCurtain, Bryan, Choctaw and Le Flore counties as disaster areas. Meanwhile, helpers volunteered and coordinated on community and business Facebook pages.

Warthog Mulching and Land Management in Broken Bow posted on a Hochatown page: "If anyone needs help moving large trees or debris call or PM. No charge. Limited to bucket, forks, debris blower and mulch head."Brian Aguero, of Bethel, 10 miles or so north of Hochatown, volunteered the services of his Sushi on a Stick LLC: "I have a food cart for hot meals but it hasn't been inspected. If I can get that I'll definitely donate my time and can set up where needed. It (is) self-sufficient with generator."

Theodora Carnes, director of Kiamichi Mountains Christian Mission at Honobia, 55 miles north of Idabel, posted on the Honobia Creek Store Facebook page: "Bro. Artie will have his excavator ready to help." That's Artie Carnes, her husband and co-director of Kiamichi Mountains Christian Mission.

Social media was confirming what the governor, who is running for re-election, said on a video he tweeted before noon Saturday.

"What I saw was Oklahomans coming together," said Stitt, who canceled a campaign event Saturday in Grove. "The storm went through last night, but they were already out helping each other, clearing limbs and debris. Thank goodness, we've searched all the houses and there was only one fatality. A 90-year-old man was killed last night, so our thoughts and prayers are with his family."

State schools Superintendent Joy Hofmeister, who is also running for the position of governor, released a statement about the affected schools.

"Our hearts go out to the communities of Idabel, Hugo, Valliant, Denison and surrounding towns following last night's tornado. The Oklahoma State Department of Education's crisis response team has provided resources to administrators of the impacted school districts. The agency stands ready to provide other supports as additional needs arise in this ordeal. Our prayers are with all the Oklahomans affected by this devastation and loss."

Trinity Baptist Church in Idabel, Oklahoma, severely damaged by tornadic storm

Trinity Baptist Church in Idabel was severely damaged, judging from snapshots posted on social media. Pastor Don Myer could not be reached Saturday, but Todd Fisher, executive director of Oklahoma Baptists, said much of the building "has been destroyed by the tornado."

"Many homes in the community have also been destroyed," Fisher said in a Facebook post. "We already have Oklahoma Baptist Disaster Relief teams on site and will soon have feeding, shower, laundry, and chainsaw units in Idabel helping people in the community.

"We also currently have 61 members of OK Disaster Relief in Florida helping with the aftermath of hurricane Ian. If you would like, please join me in giving to our disaster relief efforts at this link https://www.okdisasterhelp.org/donate/."

Trinity Baptist Church is in an area where several structures were damaged or destroyed around where U.S. 259 and State Highway 3 meet in Idabel, resident Keri Neal said.

"This is my hometown. Family is ok. Lots of damage around the HWY 259/3 intersection. Trinity Baptist, Catfish King, Tire Shop, Kiamichi Medical Clinic, McDonalds and other buildings are gone," Neal wrote on Facebook.

Local, state and Choctaw Nation emergency response teams were out early going block by block and house to house surveying damage, according to McCurtain County Emergency Management.

Accuweather said Oklahoma communities registered three of the highest wind gusts recorded Friday night in storm-ravaged parts of the Sooner state and Texas: Idabel's 108-mph gust topped No. 2 Gans at 65 mph. Bixby clocked in with 55 mph for the fifth highest. The D/FW Airport was third at 63 mph, and Addison, Texas, was fourth at 61 mph.

"At least 19 preliminary tornado reports had been recorded in Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas by the National Weather Service’s Storm Prediction Center," with the first report in Powderly, Texas, 50 miles west of Idabel, Accuweather reported. "The majority of the tornado reports came from Texas, which had at least 12 preliminary tornado reports.

"The severe weather charged through northeastern Texas on Friday, the thunderstorms rapidly escalating as tornado warnings, hail reports and flooding threatened the region."

The Red Cross said about 185 structures were damaged or destroyed in southeastern Oklahoma alone, with dozens of people left homeless in addition to the one confirmed death. No other information could be obtained Saturday about the death.

Senior Business Writer Richard Mize has covered housing, construction, commercial real estate and related topics for the newspaper and Oklahoman.com since 1999. Contact him at rmize@oklahoman.com. Sign up for his weekly newsletter, Real Estate with Richard Mize.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Tornadoes in Oklahoma, Texas leave 1 dead, dozens injured, homeless